Some "new" wines from Tesco

Whenever I'm in Tesco I always peruse the reds for any new wines, bargains etc. Last weekend I found two new candidates amongst the usual suspects and they are pictured above.

Prunus Dao Vinho Tinto 2010 - €9.99
Hmmmm. I decanted this for a couple of hours, but it still tasted a bit cheap and cheerful. It cost less then a tenner so maybe I had unrealistic expectations. Meh. 

Trapiche Fincas Malbec 2010 - €12.00
I've had a mixed relationship with Trapiche Malbec over the years. In 2009 I loved it. In 2012, not so much. I'm not even sure if the wine above is the same wine, I suspect it is, but I can't find it on the Trapiche website. This time out, I liked it; it was still quite fruity but there was a little body and a decent finish. If Malbec is your bag then you probably won't go wrong here.

So in conclusion, eh....can't really recommend either.

This port (in a storm)...

After the harrowing events of last evening, (flying into Dublin airport in a propeller driven plane, into the teeth of a gale, stone cold sober), I felt in need of some nice wine, a haircut and a non sequitur. As luck would have it all are available on Upper Baggot St. After being correctly denuded (you'd be surprised how hard it is to get "3 on the top, 1 on the back & sides" right), I ambled into Oddbins across the road.

I nearly bought a South African wine, any South African wine in an effort to prove myself wrong that there is no decent value SA red out there*. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the wine, at left. It's a Quinta das Setencostas Alenquer DOC 2007. The last time I had this wine, about 2 years ago, I was enthused enough to buy a case immediately, it was that good (I suspect it was the 2005, btw). My eldest bro is also a big fan, as were various punters I entertained with said case.

Since that day I have not seen it in Oddbins or anywhere else for that matter. I have just decanted a bottle and am trying to remember what I liked about it. It was inky purple in the glass, big and spicy on the palate. In my memory it was made with the Touriga Nacional grape but now that I read the label I see it is made with Castelao, Camarate, Tinta Miuda and some Preto-Martinho; that's me told.

Update to follow, disappointment probability - 20%.#

**Update - this was very nice indeed, more fruit forward than I remembered but not overly so. Lots of spice and depth made this a delicious tipple.

* I appealed for examples on Twitter to no avail...

Superquinn - Rosé and the rest

As a member of the Superquinn wine club I got an email recently about how various of the wines they sell had got on in the International Wine Challenge 2010, consequently they are having an Award Winning Wine sale with some very attractive wines at reasonable prices. So off I popped.

First thing I saw on arrival in the wine section was a man giving out free samples of a Rosé. I know Rosé can be drunk anytime but if you are like me, you only ever drink it on holiday. I have fond memories of eating sardines washed down with some delicious Minuty rosé on the beach in Cannes (before the crash, of course).

It turned out I know the man (long story). The wine itself is Pink Elephant, from Portugal. I had a taste and liked it. Crisp with some nice acidity and not too sweet, the way I like my Rosé. I got a bit of a shock when he told me the price - €5. I bought a couple straight away and we tried one later with our fish supper - very pleasant it was too. The wine claims to be ideal for spicy food and this seems to prove it.

I also picked up some other reds on sale. From left to right they are:

Pink Elephant Rose 2009 - €5 - As described above

Penelope Sanchez Grenache Syrah 2009 -€8 - Took a punt on this.

Waipara Hills Southern Cross Pinot Noir Central Otago 2008 - €12-00 reduced from €15-99 - Gold Medal winner in the International Wine Challenge 2010

Vina albali Gran Reserve 1999 Valdepenas - €6 - Silver, Best In Class in the International wine and Spirits Competition 2007. This wine is probably very tired at this stage (being 11 years old), and given that it is priced to move, but you never know.

Ch Camplazens La Garrigue La Clape 2007 - €12-00 reduced from €15-99 - "Trophy" in the International Wine Challenge 2010 (not pictured). I was given a 2004 of this last year and liked it. The 2007 was very different; big, bold and fruity.

We are entertaining tonight so I bought more of the Pic Saint Loup, which is a bleedin' steal at €9-99.

Pimenta Redux

As a break for ourselves from the relentless onslaught of cheap French wine I got here I decided to pick up something, anything else, just for a change, while I was in Donnybrook Fair. The wine above I had almost a year ago and I really liked it then. This time around I thought it was a little jammy and New-Worldy at first. Later on it developed somewhat, filling in the holes surrounding the blackcurranty fruit with some substance. Plus it was discounted to €9-95 from its usual €11-95, so worth a punt at that price.

The Superquinn New World wine sale starts today but before I comment on it, I wanted to post a link where you could look at what is on sale, unfortunately and stupidly, you cant see what is on sale unless you pretend to sign up for online shopping or are already a customer and even then you have to jump through hoops to find the right page. THIS appears to be the URL but I don't think It'll work unless you have registered fully or partially.

Rant over. The selection isn't great. Mostly stuff I wouldn't touch at full price. Some decent producers but not the wines I'd want, no Yalumba Viognier, no Oyster Bay Pinot Noir, although there is an intriguing Dandelions Shiraz Riesling, which I will have to try, if only to see if that grape mix works. More tomorrow after I do some shopping.

I've found a new friend...

The title refers to my new favourite wine but firstly I should report back on the two Tesco cheapies I picked up last week. The first to be drunk was the Tesco Nero D'Avola 2008 €8-69. I didn't love the 2007 and wasn't very hopeful about the 2008. I was pleasantly surprised that it was a lot better than the previous vintage. It had some body to it, a little fruit and some decent acidity, not fantastic but OK value for the price.

Next up was the Finest Tempranillo 2009 €9-99 from the Extemadura region of Spain.I wasn't crazy about this. It tasted very New World to me, almost Shiraz like. I'm not quite sure what I was expecting, but not a fruit bomb. As always, I can tolerate lots of fruit if there is some structure to back it up, alas there was none present here. Probably too much to ask for in a wine of this price.

As I mentioned in my last post I got Burgans Albarino 2009 from the out-laws and we had it with the Newlyweds on Saturday. Reaction was mixed. I though it was an decent wine for a hot day, with some nice crisp acidity but the general reaction was more... meh.

As I said at the start of this post I have a new favourite. We were having the newlyweds over for a BBQ on Saturday so I went off to O'Briens to pick a couple of reds, as usual I checked out the specials and was attracted to the Quinta Nova Douro 2008 on special at €12-95. It's made from a blend of not very well known grapes, mostly grown only in Portugal, as i understand it and they are Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Cao.

This was a big wine in every way. Full bodied, lots of structure, some plummy fruit and a long finish. I'm not really doing it justice I know. It's one of those wines that when you taste it you immediately fall in love with it. I can't find a link on the O'Briens site but if you pick up a bottle you won't be disappointed, I promise.

**Update** - found a description of the wine on O'Briens blog - "It is phenomenal, packed with sweet blackberried fruit and subtle hints of spice but most of all this is smooth, very smooth; there is a lovely silken texture to it, meaning; it’s terrific with or without the food."

**Update 2** Link for the Quinta Nova on O'Briens site here.

Porkbelly II - The Fattening

The porkbelly went down well in Saturday night, it a long and involved recipe but it makes for some delicious tender meat from an inexpensive cut. I bought some Ferraton Cotes Du Rhone Samorens 2007 from O'Briens, which at €11-45 is an absolute steal. R0bert Parker gave it 89/100 and it seemed to go down well with m'guests. To start with we had a Rizzardi Pinot Grigio 2008, also from O'Briens. When I say we I mean me and Big Steve, as nobody else seemed to be in a white wine place, us two happily lashed into it.

The aforementioned guests brought along some interesting wines, most of which we managed not to drunkenly quaff on the night. From left to right they are:

Chateau Fontbonne Bordeaux 2006 - BigNose brought two of these and we drank one and it was nice but I don't think I did it justice as it still a little cool when we drank it. I'll treat the next one better.

Chateau De Villeneuve Saumur Champigny 2006 - June got this in Harvey Nics. I have always liked wine from this region so here's hoping..

Masi Campofiorin 2006 - S&V brought this and it is a meaty, tasty wine. It is made, I believe, using the Ripasso method which accounts for its rich flavours.

Lastly I picked up a Pegos Claros Palmela 2004 from Portugal. I loved the 2002, and was hoping for more of the same from the 2004. It was good, and still good value at €12 but it didn't have the depth and complexity of the 2002.

Pimenta 2007

On Wednesday, Herself was going to Donnybrook Fair to get a few bits so I asked her to pick up a bottle of Pegos Claros, unfortunately there wasn't any so she picked up a bottle of the wine at left. Pimenta from the Alentejano regions of Portugal.

I have had a good few Portugese wines of late and they have been consistently good. This one was made with Touriga Nacional, Aragones and Trincadeira grapes, none of which I have heard of.

Name: Pimenta

Year: 2007
Price: €11-99
Notes: Like the Pegos Claros this wine was quite delicious. Surprisingly complex, a little fruit, lots of structure, complexity and a lingering finish. It tasted like a much more expensive wine. DF comes up trumps again.

Tomorrow I shall wax lyrical and OT on the Glenmorangie tasting.

Chateau Plaisance and Arthur at the Fair

I was at a Bastille day do in Donnybrook Fair last night, ate some lovely canapes, some delicious cheese and drank a surprisingly good Fleurie along with a crisp Pouilly Fumé as supplied by our hosts.

Just before we* left, much the happier it must be said, we met Arthur who told us about his friend Derek & Kathy who had bought Chateau Plaisance and were attempting to make a go of it in the shark infested waters of tradition in St Emilion. I said I would help publicise Derek and Kathy's efforts in this forum (with my huge readership!!). Arthur had written this piece previously.

Anyhoo, I couldn't resist and bought a bottle of the Pegos Claros for Herself and I to sip when I got home. I would encourage anybody who vists Donnybrook Fair to try this, it's steal at €12-99.

*Mavis, the sailing widow & I

Portugese Wines at Donnybrook Fair

Went to a "do" last night in Donnybrook Fair (the Donnybrook version with the restaurant above it), apart from some very tasty food the two wines supplied were both Portugese and both very nice.

The white was from the Bucelas region of Portugal made from the Arinto grape, a uniquely Portugese grape.

Name: Prova Régia

Year: 2007
Price: €11-99

From: Donnybrook Fair / O'Briens
Notes: Cool, dry and crisp. Described on the menu as the Portugese Muscadet. Either way, great wine at a bargain price.
Rating:

 7/10.

**Update** - The menu said "The Muscadet of Portugal. Better possibly,  with delightful rich aromas of red apples, rounded and lightly textured with a dry nutty finish"

The red was from the Palmela region of Portugal made from the Casteláo grape.

Name: Pegos Claros
Year: 2002
Price: €12-99

From: Donnybrook Fair / O'Briens
Notes: On the nose I thought this resembled a Bordeaux or even a big expensive Californian Zinfandel. On the palate, however, it was not at all like these. There was cherries, some good fruit and also, fittingly some Port-like flavours, all followed by a long, lingering finish. This wine is an absolute steal at €12-99.

Rating: 8/10.

**Update** - The menu said "Medium to full bodied red with lovely raisined fruits reminiscent of port. It has a lovely balance and a savoury twist on the finish"

Another of the guests drew this pen and ink drawing for Herself on the night and another drawing was auctioned on the night.

Note: Tonight I will be mostly drinking the €8 Grenache from Superquinn, which I only tasted last week - full review tomorrow.